Animal feeding device



Sept. 16, 1941. A. A. M DONELL $256,210

ANIMAL FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 17,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l INVENTOR vZATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMALFEEDING DEVICE Alberta A. MacDonell, San Francisco, Calif.

Application November 17, 1939, Serial No. 304,929

Claims.

This invention relates to an animal feeding device, and is acontinuation in part, of co-pending application Ser. No. 223,865, filedAugust 9, 1938, now Patent 2,189,213.

This invention has for its objects an improved power actuated deviceadapted to hold a quantity of cat or dog food, or the like, and todispense such food for eating thereof by the animal, at a predeterminedtime after filling and commencing actuation of the power effective tocause the dispensing of said food. Another object is the provision ofimproved means for causing the dispensing of food from a container at apredetermined time and a still further object is the provision of a fooddispensing device of the above character that is easily and quicklyfilled with food, cleaned, and in which there is a constant speed motorand food release means actuated thereby, said latter being quicklyadjustable to a plurality of positions for setting its actuation by themotor at any desired time. A still further object is the provision of asupport for supporting all of the elements essential to operation of thedevice, in a compact unit spaced above a floor or other surface, and oneof said elements comprising a quickly removable tubular member adaptedto hold food therein for dispensing therefrom. Other objects andadvantages will appear in the specification and drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is a plan view of another form of the invention with theprotective top covering removed to disclose the working elements of theinvention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line '5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

In detail the device of Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a substantially flatplate I, adapted to be supported horizontally from a vertical wall orsimilar support, by a right angle flange 2 along one edge, which flangeis provided with key hole slots 3 (Fig. 2) for receiving the heads ofscrews 4 (Fig. l) therethrough, the narrower end of the recesses beingnearest the plate I so as to pass the shanks of the screws, with theheads engaging the margins of the slots.

ventional clock 5 with its face and hands facing towards the flange 2for ready observation there- .ofand along side said clock said plate isformed with .a circular opening adapted .to pass therevthrough the lowerend of a vertically extending cylindrical tube '6, within which the food,1 is adapted to be supported. Tube 6 is provided with -a removable top8 and an annular outwardly projecting ridge 9 is formed around the lowerend of the tube, which ridge is adapted .to seat around the edges of theopening in said plate .so as to support the tube in position on theplate, extending upwardly therefrom. The opening in plate .I is formedwith a notch in the side opposite flange .2 for passing the hingeattaching the closure to the tube 6, which will be described later.

The conventional pring winding shaft I0 that projects from the rear sideof said clock is .provided with a spur gear I I and a key I 2 outwardlyof said gear, with respect to the clock, for winding the spring in thelatter.

Secured on plate I behind said clock, is an upwardly projecting bracketI2 journalled at its upper end for a horizontal shaft I3. The shaft i3rotatably extends through the bearing in said bracket to opposite sidesthereof, and the end of the shaft outwardly of said bracket, with re-.spect to the clock side, carries a disk I4 with a row of graduations I5thereon, respectively identified by tnumerals I'B, such as 6, I2, 18?,24., etc. Also the same end of said shaft carries a turning knob 'IIthereon for manually being secured to the shaft against rotationrelative thereto.

The end of the shaft I3 extending toward clock 5 from the side of thebracket adjacent said clock, is provided with a gear segment I8 (Fig. 2,which segment is extended around substantially half a circle. The teethof said segment are concentric with said shaft, but the remainder of thesegment is cut away, and between said segment 'I8 and bracket I2 is anexpansion coil spring I9 that tends to hold the disk I4 against thebracket I2, with the teeth of the segment in mesh with gear II when theshaft I3 is turned to bring the teeth of the gear and segment intoengagement. It is to be noted that shaft 1'3 is movable axially uponpulling the knob I1 outwardly relative to said bracket, the spring I9being compressed during such movement.

The purpose of the foregoing arrangement is to permit the setting of thesegment I8 with respect to gear I I, so that the former will be movedSecured on the upper side of plate I is a conthrough a greater or lesserdistance according to the point around the teeth on segment M where saidteeth are placed in mesh with the gear H. For example, upon pulling knoboutwardly, with respect to bracket l2 and clock 5, the segment |8 willalso be carried away from the gear II, and can then be manually turnedfree from the gear, so as to bring one of the graduations l in alignmentwith a mark on one edge of said bracket. Upon releasing the knob, thesegment will be moved automatically into mesh with gear I I at the pointaround said segment corresponding, generally, to the position of theparticular graduation in register with said mark.

In the drawings, the numeral 18 on disk M which designates one of thegraduations I5, is in registration with mark 20, and the position ofsaid numeral with respect. to. the teeth on seg-' ment I8 is such thateighteen hours later the gear I will reach the end of the row of teethon said segment, thus stopping further actuation of the segment.Similarly, if the disk is set so the numeral 6 "is in registration withmark 20, then six hours is the limit of movement of segment l8.Extending beyondthe leading end of the row of teeth on segment |8, saidsegment is provided with a projection 2|, which revolves with thesegment. The segment with its teeth and said projection, are'preferablystamped from a single piece of'sheet metal, and the leading edge 22 ofsaid projection, extends generally radially of the axisabout which thesegment revolves, as best indicated in Fig. 2.

Plate is provided with a slot 23 through which said segment andprojection 2| and the edge 22 are adapted to project to below the platewhen the segment is revolved and below said plate I provide ahorizontally disposed shaft 24 with oneend 25: curved to form a crank,which crank end extends upwardly towards and then across said slot. Saidshaft 24 rotatably extends through a bearing'ZB, andthe end opposite end25 projects from said'bearing adjacent an edge of the opening in whichtube 6 is supported. An,

described. Obviously any setting may be had between the range of timesindicated on disk l4. Upon engagement between said edge 22 and crank end25, and upon continued movement of said edge, the shaft 24 will becaused to revolve to a position in which crank end 25 is forced out ofnotch 39 and to a position in which arm 34 is moved from below closure32, and the closure automatically will fall away to discharge food Ifrom within the tube 6. The top 8 of the tube may be provided with oneor several openings 38 therein to prevent formation of a vacuum abovethe food Where the food is relatively moist and tends to stick.

The plate l, supporting the tube 6 and other elements above described,is hung from a wall,

' post or other support, at a level appreciably expansion coil spring 21surrounds a portion of said shaft 24 at a point between its crank end'25 and'bearing 26, said spring reacting between the bearing and acollar 28 secured on said shaft to'hold the shaft in a position in whicha stop 29 on said end opposite the crank end25 is held against aside ofsaid bearing. 'At the same time said sprin tends to urge the crank end25 into a notch3fljin theside of member 3| that projects downwardly fromthe under side of. plate I.

When shaft 24 is in the aforesaidposition, the same'is held againstrevolving by reason of the fact that crank end 25 is in said notch 30,unless fand'until said crank end is forceably moved out 'ofsaid notch. pj The bottom end'of tube 6 carries a closure plate 32 hinged at'33 tothe'side of said tube at a'p'oint generally opposite the stop'29on'shaft 24, and'anarm' 34 extends from said stop and perpendicularly toshaft 24, to a position across the marginal edge of closure 32, thusholding the closure in position extending over the lower open end oftube 6 supporting food thereon. Upon rotation of shaft 24 in directionto revolve arm 34 away from theclosure, the latter Will swing open,by'gravity, and the food in the tube will be discharged.

Inoperation, when segment i8 is revolved in the direction of the arrowin Fig. 2, the leading edgej2 2' thereof will engage the crank end 25'eitn 1-;e,:12',]1s 01-24 or more hours after the time fo'r which thesegment isset as already above the floor, and a pan is placed on thefloor below the tube 6 for catching the food dropped therefrom.

In the drawings indicated in Figs. 4 to 6, I show another form of theinvention, in which a pair of tubes 46, 4|, are provided in side by siderelation, for enclosing food 42 therein. Said tubes are supported on ahorizontal plate 43 provided with openings therein, the lower ends ofsaid tubes being supported at the edges of the openings. A pair ofclosure plates 40, 4| cover the lower ends of tubes 40, 4|,respectively, said plates being hinged at 42' to plate 43 at pointsadjacent the edges of said openings for swinging away from the lowerends of the tubes 40, 4|.

Plates 49, 4|, respectively, carry short stub rods 44, 44 on their sidesfacing plate 43, which rods extend through openings 45 in said plate topoints above the upper side of said plate. The portions of stub rods 44,44' that project above plate 43 are notched at one of their sides toreceive one of the lateral edges of one of the ends of levers 45, 46'thereon, saidlevers each being pivoted to plate 43 at a point 4'!between its ends, andthe opposite ends 48, 48' of the levers areslightly bent upwardly with respect to the upper side of plate 43. Aleaf spring 49, secured to a post 50 between its ends to plate 43,reacts at one end against end 48 of lever 46 and the end of lever 45fthat is between pivot 41 and stub rod 44', thus tending to force theends of the levers 46, 45' that engage stub rods 44,44 into the recessesformed in one of the sides of each of said rods, thereby holding theclosures 40', 4| in position closing the lower ends of tubes 40, 4|.

It will be seen from the above that upon movement of ends 48, 48' of thelevers in one and the same direction, the stub rods will be freed ofengagement with the levers, and the closures 'will swing downwardlybyg'r-avity to open the tubes and to dispense the food therein.

The above movement of said levers is effected by a traveling nut 5|threadedly engaging a threaded rod 52 that extends across the ends 48,48' of the levers. Said nut is slidably' and rotatably supported on asmooth rod 53 that is parallel with rod 52. The nut 5| is only a halfnut, with its concave threaded side facingdownwardly and against the rod52, thus its threaded engagement with the threads on rod 52 isdisconnected merely by swinging the nut upwardly about rod 53. The endof nut 5| that projects across the rod 52 away from rod 53 carries -aweightedmember 54 to insure the threads-on the nut remaining inengagement with the threads on rod 52 and a projection 55 extending fromthe lower side of said end of the nut isadapted to engage the ends 48,48 of levers 46, 46' in succession as the nut is carried along rod 52 inone direction 'by rotation of said rod. Thus the projection will firstcause lever 46 to swing out of engagement with stub rod 44, and thenupon continued movement will cause lever 48 to move out of engagementwith stub rod 44, thus necessarily releasing the closures 46, 41' forfalling.

The movement of nut 51 and projection 55 therein is caused byconventional spring motor '51, connected by conventional gearing todrive a spur gear on one end of rod 52. Rod 52 is rotatably mounted atits opposite ends in brackets 59 secured to plate 43. The ends of rod 53are also secured to said brackets.

In operation, with the nut 5| at the one end of rod 52, as indicated inFig. 4, the pitch of the threads and speed of the rod 52 are such thatwithin about twelve hours time the projection 55 will engage lever end48 and Will release closure 48, and twelve hours later the projection 55will engage end 48' of lever 46 and will re lease closure 4!. The end 68of lever 46' is slightly longer than lever end 48, and after theprojection 55 has disengaged lever 56' from the stub rod it, theprojection will be caused to automatically move upwardly on end 48' thusdisengaging the threads on nut 51 from those on rod 52, and furthermovement of the nut will be stopped.

To reset the device, it is only necessary to close closure plates 56, 6l when the ends of the levers 46, 46 adjacent stub rods 34, M willautomatically engage the recesses in said stub rods. The nut 5| is thenslipped back to starting position and pivoted to re-engage its threadswith those on rod 52. It is, of course, obvious that the first actuationof closure may be at any desired point from one to twelve hours,according to how close nut 5| is positioned with respect to end 48 oflever 46.

To facilitate ejection of the food l2 within the tubes, I provide aweighted plunger 60 over each tube. These plungers are also adapted tosubstantially cover the food in each tube, and to readily slidelongitudinally through the tubes.

The tubes themselves are adapted to be quickly removed from the plate 43for cleaning and the closures 40', ll are each completely smooth overtheir sides that are adapted to support food thereon. Thus there are noprojecting latches or other projections that will tend to catch food asthe latter is ejected from the tubes.

The apparatus as disclosed .in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, is also fullydescribed in my prior patent already mentioned in this application.

While I am familiar with various forms of automatic feeding devices,some of which disclose hinged closures adapted to fall away fromopenings in the lower ends of containers, the advantages of the instantinvention over such forms of devices of which I am aware do not providefor the sanitation and compactness, and positive manner of operation asthe invention herein described. In this connection, I might add that theincorporation of cord or wire releases, and the like, for releasingfood, is not generally satisfactory where the devices are used forfeeding cats and dogs, and a positive mechanical action is mostdesirable from a practical standpoint.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for dispensing food for consumption by an animal comprisinga cylindrical, openended, tubular receptacle for the food, a closure atu plate closing one end of the receptacle and a cylindrical plunger inaxial alignment with the axis of the receptacle for movement through thereceptacle axially thereof but normally closing the opposite end, meansmounting said plate for movement from over said one end to openposition, a plate securing means releasably securing cause said plungerto fall by gravity for forcing the food within the receptacletherethrough and out of said one end, said tubular receptacle beingdisposed vertically and of uniform diameter throughout its length, saidclosure plate being disposed below and across the lower open end of thereceptacle, said plunger being disposed over the upper end of thereceptacle, the food adapted to be enclosed within the receptacle beingsupported on said plate and said plunger being gravity actuated andsupported against movement by the plate and food thereon when the plateis in closed position, but free to move downwardly on the food to forcethe food downwardly through the lower end of the receptacle when theplate is moved to open position, and guide means cooperativelyassociated with said plunger for maintaining the plunger coaxial withthe receptacle during said downward movement of said plunger.

2. A device for dispensing food for consumption by an animal comprisinga vertically disposed, tubular, open-ended receptacle, a horizontalplate covering the lower open end of the receptacle adapted to supportfood therein, hinge means mounting said plate for downward swingingthereof away from said lower end, locking means releasably securing saidplate covering said lower end against said downward swinging, a gravityactuated weighted member adapted to close the upper end of thereceptacle and adapted to be supported on food within the receptacle,means arranged and adapted to actuate said locking means to release thesame for permitting downward swinging of said plate whereby the gravityactuated member will force the food downwardly out of said lower openend, said weighted member comprising a plunger, including a shaftextending upwardly therefrom, guide means slidably supporting said shaftfor downward movement of the plunger in axial alignment with the centralvertical axis of said receptacle.

3. A device for dispensing food for consumption by an animal atseparate, predetermined intervals comprising a plurality of receptaclesfor food, one of the sides of each receptacle being formed with adischarge opening, a movable closure for each discharge opening, meansmounting each movable closure for movement from closed position over thedischarge openings to open position away from said openings, separatemeans engaging the body of food adapted to be held in each receptacle onthe side of the body opposite the openings for forcing the food out ofthe opening upon movement thereof, separate means releasably securingthe closures in said closed position, a motor, movable means moved alonga path of travel at a uniform rate of movement by actuation of saidmotor arranged and adapted to successively actuate the means releasablysecuring the closures at predetermined time intervals for releasing theclosures for movement to open position whereby the food within eachreceptacle may be successively discharged from the receptacles throughsaid disclosures to open position, means actuated by movement of themovable means that is actuated by the motor for rendering said movablemeans inoperative upon said movable means completing actuation of thefinal one of all the separate 1 means that releasably secures theclosures in closed position.

4. A device for dispensing food for consumption by an animal comprising,a housing having side walls and a top wall, a vertically disposed,open-ended, tubular receptacle enclosed within the walls of said housingwith the lower open end of the receptacle opening downwardly andoutwardly of the housing, a plate extending across the lower open end ofthe receptacle for 'supporting food within the receptacle, meansswingingly supporting said plate for swinging downwardlyl to a positionuncovering the lower open end of the receptacle for permitting the foodwithin the latter to fall therefrom, locking means releasably lockingsaid plate in position across said lower open end, power actuated meansarranged and adapted to unlock said locking means, power means arrangedand adapted to actuate said power actuated means at a predeterminedperiod of time after the plate is locked in food supporting position forreleasing said plate, said lockingv means, said power actuated means,and said power means, all being enclosed within said housing againstaccessibility from outside the housing, and means secured to saidhousing supporting the receptacle, plate, locking means, power actuatedmeans and said power means in position enclosed within said housing formovement with said housing to any desired position.

5. A device for dispensing food for consumption by an animal comprising,a horizontal plat form formed with an opening therein, a verticallydisposed, open ended, tubular receptacle supported on said platform withthe lower open end of the receptacle in register with and adjacent saidopening, a plate extending across the lower open end of the receptaclefor supporting food within the receptacle, means swingingly supportingsaid plate for swinging downwardly to a position uncovering the loweropen end of the receptacle for permitting the food within the latter tofall thereform, locking means releasably locking said plate in positionacross said lower open end, power actuated means connected with saidlocking means arranged and adapted to unlock said locking means, powermeans connected with said power actuated means arranged and adapted to'

